Selector tab



SELECTOR TAB Filed Jul 23, 1926 570mm 7 fix/W9 W FM Bil ill

Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED s'rATEsrArEr orrica.

RAEMONI) 1v. FELLOWS, or cnrcneo, ILLINOIS, Assreivon, BY iansnn assreiviann'rs, 1 T ADDBESSOGRAPI-I COMIPA1\TY,0F CHICAGO, rmiinors, A UQR-POBATION or DELA- WARE.

siinncron was.

Application filed July 23, 1926. Serial No. 124,314.

This invention relates to printing devices of the kind which are stored in accordance \vith'acard index system andare adapted to be run through 'a machine for taking impressions therefrom. These printing devices have been made in the form of one-piece plates bearing type characters, and they have also been made in the form of frames carrying detachable plates bearing type characters. It has been customary heretofore to supply both forms of printing devices with tabs for index purposes according to some classification system and also for operating the selector mechanism of the printing ma chine. Sometimes the machine is operated because of the presence of a tab, called the present tab system, and sometimes the machine is operated because of the absence of a tab, called the absent tab system. v fith both systems it has been customary to provide one or more tabs adapted to be detachably engaged with the printing device, and the latter has been provided with a plurality of keepers to receive the tabs. Itinvolves considerable labor and careful attention to arrange the individual tabs in proper position on the printing devices and the extent of a classification and selector system pro-. vided by individual tabs is necessarily limited the size of the printing device, the size of the tabs, and the capacity of the printing device to receive individual tabs. Furthermore, it is not practicable to employ combinations of individual tabs to any con siderable extent for enlarging the classification and selector system.

The object of this invention is to provide a single tab. of relatively large size capable of being detachably engaged with a printing device for supplying an extended classification and selector system.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tab which can be formed lIICOlYlblIlEL- tions to greater extend the classificationand selector system.

And a further object of the inventionis to simplify the Work of classifying a stock of printing devices to an extended classification system.

Inthe accompanying drawings I have chosen a printing device comprising a frame carrying plates bearing printing characters to illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention, and referring thereto:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the long tab blank.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tab provided with perforations. i

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the tab provided with notches.

Fig. a front plan view of the printing device with the notched tab engaged therewith.

Referring to the drawings, 5 is the frame of the printing device carrying the type boa-ring plates 6 and 7 which are engaged with the 3" in any suitable manner. The frame is pr died with a plurality of keepers 8 arranged in pairs across the frame adjacent the upper edgethereof to receive the tab, and below each pair of keepers therev aprojection 9 on the frame. The tab is fr nied from a blank 10 which may be of any dc of the shorter storing operation of the selector mechanism. The tab is provided with aplurality of stems 11 projecting from one edge thereof to engage keepers in the frame and in the outer ends of these stems there are openings 12 to engage the projection 9 for holding the. tab securely on the frame. p i In one form of the invention the tab is provided with notches and these notches may ie of the symmetrical form indicated at 13 in Fig. 3 or they may be in the offset form indicated at 14 in Fig. 3, or they may be +1., 131 can 10 lane roi convenience in otherwise formed as found desirable to cooperate with iiarticular selector mccaanism and devices. In theother form of my in .vention the tab is provided with perforations 15, Fig. 2 and theseperforations may be variously arranged on the tab and they may be of any size and shape.

In practice the tab is provided with notches or perforations to classify the printing device and to operate the selector mechanism. One form of selector mechanism provides a pin adapted to engage the tab according to the present tab system or to enter a notch or perforation in the tab according to the absent tab system. For the present tab system I would use a notched tab and in a simple classification system the tab may be notched to provide a single projection, such as 16, Fig. 3, which may be located at ed length, not longer than the length. trame and preferably somewhat and handling the device and for any position lengthwise of the tab, its position indicating its particular classification. All the printing devices belonging to a particular division of the classfication will have tabs with a single projection .in the same location, and other divisions will be indicated by single tabs in other locations. it it is desired to print from devices in a single division only oi. a classification the selector pin, according to the present tab, system, will be set to engage the tab projections indicating that particular division and those printing devices only will be printed. By changing the selector pin the printing devices in any other classification division may be printed. According to the absent tab sys tom the divisions of a classification are indicated by notches or perforations and the selector pin will be set to engage the notch or perforation indicating a certain division of the classification to print that division only oi the printing devices when they are run through the printing machine. While com binations may be employed to some extent With the present tab system it is possible to employ combinations to a far greater extent in the absent tab system. it will be readily observed that with a tab such as shown in Fig. l selector pins should be. provided according to the absent tab s v.--:tem to enter all of the notches to operate the machine for taking an in'ipression from this printing device, and unless the tab has all 01' these notches arranged as sho vn the selector system will not operate and the device will run through the machine without printing. This Will. indicate how greatly a classiiiation system may be enlarged by the use oi notches, or perforations, according to the absent tab system. And in this connection it may be observed that the notches may vary in depth or in width in extending the classification system. In preparing to tab a stock of: printing devices the. classification would be laid out as desired, and a stock of tabs prepared according to the classification. For each division of the classification a suiticient supply of tabs all alike would be providcd and the tabs would be applied to the printing devices according to the classification divisions. The printing devices may be arranged in storage drawers or trays, tor example. alphabetically, or geographically but the tabs may indicate some other classification. such as subscription expiration dates. lVith such an arrangement and, classification, it it is desired to circularize all of the subscribers WllOSG subscriptions expire at a certain time, the selector system would be adjusted accordingly. The entire stock of printing devices will then be run through the printing machine and only those printing devices will print in the division of the classification :l'or which the selector system has been adjusted. This practice is followed. at the present time with the individual tabs of the kind heretofore referred to but my invention is designed to enlarge the classilication system and to simplify the use thereof. The elongated tab makes it possible to provide a greatly enlarged classilication and at the same time it siinplilics the useot the tab and facilitates the operation of tabbing a stock of printing devices. it is customary to provide a card bearing printed intormar tion which is arrai'igcd over the keepers on the front oi the printing device and held in place thereon by suitable means such as the head 17 and lips 18 as indicated by broken lines 19.

I do not limit the invention to use with a printing device of any particular construction except in so tar as it is constructed or adapted to receive the tab, for it will be 1111- denswod that the invention can be used with a variety of printing devices and the one shown in .l ig. l is selected for illustration only. it may' be desirable to make changes in the tab to accommodate it to dil'lerent printing devices and dili'erent selector systems and l reserve the right to make all such changes as fall within the scope of the lol lowing claims in which I have used the "Word queuing to include a notch or a pcrtorairon.

I claim:

1. The combination with a printing device of the character described and having a series of tab keepers arranged in a row adjacent one edge of the device, of an elongated tab of approximately the length of said row of keepers and having a plurality 0t stems to engage said lceeiicrs, said tab being iorn'icd to indicate a certain classification. and to operate correspmuling selector means of a printing n'iuchine.

2. A tab for a printing device of the character described and having a plurality of openings therein to'indicate in combination a certain classification and to operate corresponding selector means oi a printing machine.

3. A tab for a printing device of the character described and comprising a strip having a plurality of stems projecting from one edge thereof to engage the printing device and having a plurality oi. notches in its other edge to indicate in combimition a certain classification and to operate corresponding selector means of a printing machine.

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